tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44633037574710527172018-03-05T15:49:21.779-08:00The Accomplished MommyWorking Amongst Children and Thriving!*Dani*http://www.blogger.com/profile/10031042892865700673noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4463303757471052717.post-16981804102697379712010-08-07T03:59:00.000-07:002010-08-07T04:00:01.275-07:00Check Out The New Site!<a href="http://www.AfterMidnightPhotography.com">www.AfterMidnightPhotography.com</a>*Dani*http://www.blogger.com/profile/10031042892865700673noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4463303757471052717.post-78130310075114665892009-02-06T12:05:00.000-08:002009-02-08T13:15:07.020-08:00The Pareto PrincipleFirstly, my apologies for taking so long to post! There have been quite a few life changes in the last couple of months for Carly and myself- times are busy sisters! <br /><br />About a month ago, I stumbled upon something called The Pareto Principle while I was studying marketing techniques. Wikipedia describes The Pareto Principle as this:<br /><blockquote><br />The Pareto principle (also known as the 80-20 rule, the law of the vital few and the principle of factor sparsity) states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. Business management thinker Joseph M. Juran suggested the principle and named it after Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who observed that 80% of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population.[3] It is a common rule of thumb in business; e.g., "80% of your sales come from 20% of your clients."</blockquote><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XqnSFrtK33U/SY9K_M41nII/AAAAAAAAAf8/J-bm2Cwxhlk/s1600-h/thinking-pic.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 217px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XqnSFrtK33U/SY9K_M41nII/AAAAAAAAAf8/J-bm2Cwxhlk/s320/thinking-pic.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300537736090197122" /></a><br /><br />They go on to say (for perspective):<br /><br /><blockquote>The Pareto Principle also applies to a variety of more mundane matters: one might guess approximately that we wear our 20% most favored clothes about 80% of the time, perhaps we spend 80% of the time with 20% of our acquaintances, etc.<br /><br />The Pareto principle has many applications in quality control.[citation needed] It is the basis for the Pareto chart, one of the key tools used in total quality control and six sigma. The Pareto principle serves as a baseline for ABC-analysis and XYZ-analysis, widely used in logistics and procurement for the purpose of optimizing stock of goods, as well as costs of keeping and replenishing that stock (Rushton et al. 2000, pp. 107-108).<br /><br />In computer science and engineering control theory such as for electromechanical energy converters, the Pareto principle can be applied to optimization efforts. (M. Gen & R. Cheng, Generic Algorithms and Engineering Optimization. New York, Wiley, 2002)<br /><br />Microsoft also noted that by fixing the top 20% of the most reported bugs, 80% percent of the errors and crashes would be eliminated.<br /><br />The Pareto principle was a prominent part of the 2007 bestseller The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss. Ferriss recommended focusing one's activities to those 20% that contribute to 80% of the income. More notably, he also recommends firing the 20% customers who take up the majority of one's time and cause most trouble.</blockquote><br />(On a side note: Four Hour Work Week will be our next give away on March 15th- you must be a follower by the 1st to be in the drawing). <br /><br />So what does this mean? How can we use this to make our business more efficient? Let's put it to the test (Keep in mind please that this is a VERY basic scope of how this can work for you.)! This is going to be different for every business out there. Carly and I spoke about the 20% of clients that bring each of us the most income. To get to that conclusion, you must first make a list of the types of clients you receive. Be as specific as possible. For example (using our tree business- your list may be completely different):<br /><br />1. Clients in urban and suburban areas<br /><br />2. Clients in rural areas<br /><br />3. Men clients<br /><br />4. Women clients<br /><br />5. Clients who find us from Craigslist<br /><br />6. Clients who find us through fliering<br /><br />7. Clients who find us through our website<br /><br />8. Clients who find us through word of mouth<br /><br />9. Homeowners<br /><br />10. Land developers<br /><br />Now in practice, you should be literally writing down every client you've ever had and where you've found them. We will use my ten above as a test- though we get clients from more than 10 sources. <br /><br />From the ten sources above, the principle states that two of them deliver 80% of our clients. The top two on that list for us are clients in rural areas, and clients through word of mouth (very specific word of mouth/ generally professionals in the tree business that do not do quite what we do, and therefore send clients our way). <br /><br />So now we have a starting place. We need to focus more of our energy and advertising dollars on clients in rural areas and clients through word of mouth. We have to start getting creative about how this can work. Off the top of my head- we can take out an ad in rural newspapers. We can do fliering in rural areas (where so far our fliering has been in suburban areas). I have a very specific idea for how to create more word of mouth leads: cold calling tree businesses that I know don't do what we do. Then we can offer a finders fee for any leads they send our way, or offer to send the clients that contact us regarding what they do their way. I am leaning towards the former, because I will hopefully end up with quite a few professionals offering to send clients our way. If that's the case, I can't in good conscience promise them each that we'll send clients their way since there'll be more than one of them.<br /><br />Another spin off from the Pareto Principle is Six Sigma. Six Sigma is process improvement for the sake of your business. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XqnSFrtK33U/SY9LFt-xMNI/AAAAAAAAAgE/qD2FysczNZ8/s1600-h/six-sigma_diagram.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 255px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XqnSFrtK33U/SY9LFt-xMNI/AAAAAAAAAgE/qD2FysczNZ8/s320/six-sigma_diagram.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300537848052658386" /></a><br /><br />From Wikipedia:<br /><br />Six Sigma is a business management strategy, originally developed by Motorola, that today enjoys widespread application in many sectors of industry.<br /><blockquote><br />Six Sigma seeks to identify and remove the causes of defects and errors in manufacturing and business processes. It uses a set of quality management methods, including statistical methods, and creates a special infrastructure of people within the organization ("Black Belts" etc.) who are experts in these methods. Each Six Sigma project carried out within an organization follows a defined sequence of steps and has quantified financial targets (cost reduction or profit increase).</blockquote> Read more in depth here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Sigma<br /><br />I have also come across an online book called <a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/downloads/assist/six_sigma_for_smallbusiness.pdf">"Six Sigma For Small Business"</a> that you can download for more in depth learning. <br /><br /><br />So now you have an idea of how you can use process improvement to advance your business. This is a topic that a gajillion books have been written on, so I feel almost silly posting something so remedial, but my hope is that it will make your thirst for more information grow and you'll get out there and figure out how to make this work for you!!!!<br /><br /><br />Godspeed ladies!*Dani*http://www.blogger.com/profile/10031042892865700673noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4463303757471052717.post-11743781856335150792009-01-15T09:15:00.000-08:002009-01-15T09:27:39.664-08:00Announcing the winner!<span style="font-size:130%;">Congratulations to Taradactyl in the Modern World, winner of the Style Statement workbook drawing! Email your mailing address to TheAccomplishedMommy@hotmail.com and we'll send it out!</span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Please contact us by January 30th or we'll have to choose another winner.</span></span>Carly Fayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525528757325109350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4463303757471052717.post-44828327639604130372009-01-13T14:18:00.000-08:002009-01-13T14:19:35.082-08:00What's Keeping You From Your Path?<!-- Altering or removing this link is a breach of the Vizu Terms and Conditions --><div style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:9px;height:20px;text-align:center;width:320px;margin:0;padding:0;letter-spacing:-.5px"><a href="http://www.vizu.com" target="_blank"><span style="color:#999;text-decoration:underline;font-size:9px;">Online Surveys</span></a><span style="color:#999;">&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;</span><a href="http://answers.vizu.com/market-research.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color:#999;text-decoration:underline;font-size:9px;">Market Research</span></a></div><embed src="http://wp.vizu.com/vizu_poll.swf" quality="high" scale="noscale" wmode="transparent" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="320" height="386" name="vizu_poll" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" FlashVars="js=false&pid=140898&ad=false&vizu=true&links=true&mainBG=000000&questionText=FFFFFF&answerZoneBG=EEEEEE&answerItemBG=FFFFFF&answerText=000000&voteBG=C8C8C8&voteText=000000"></embed>*Dani*http://www.blogger.com/profile/10031042892865700673noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4463303757471052717.post-87250964259047490972009-01-09T13:43:00.000-08:002009-01-09T14:52:44.704-08:00Manifesting Money and Prosperity (Yes! In This Economy!)My thought process about life has changed drastically in the last couple of years or so. There have certainly been times that I've felt I didn't have enough. I have heard so many people say that business is slow because of the economy and their outlook is one of fear. They feel they will not succeed in present times.<br /><br />My dad's catch phrase is: <span style="font-weight: bold;">"Your Focus Determines Your Reality"</span> He actually stole it from Star Wars, but it has still got to be one of the most brilliant things ever spoken. When he began saying it, I just passed it off as another one of his things that he says (and if you knew him, you'd know he has quite a few little sayings that he pulls out of his back pocket from time to time). As time went on, it sunk in deeper, and deeper, and deeper.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XqnSFrtK33U/SWfMbtO-y4I/AAAAAAAAAfg/rwjbmpMzE54/s1600-h/1024Anakin%26Obi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XqnSFrtK33U/SWfMbtO-y4I/AAAAAAAAAfg/rwjbmpMzE54/s320/1024Anakin%26Obi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289421063740902274" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I began studying the Law of Attraction (LOA) over two years ago, and I am a believer. You are all probably believers and don't even know it. If you're a part of any religion or follow any spiritual teachings, there is a theme. Pray/cast spells/ perform rituals/ whatever it is that you do, and be FAITHFUL, and it will come to you. Ask and it is given. That is it. That's all there is to it. It sounds so simple, and yet your focus determines your reality. If you are focusing on a bad economy where you cannot thrive, guess what you get? A bad economy where you cannot thrive.<br /><br />Practice being mindful of your thoughts, the things you speak, and the things you write. Keep your focus on the fact that there are still people out in the world with jobs that are still buying things (yes, even your product or service!!!) Focus on any incoming money you have, rather than outgoing money (hello tax returns!). Focus on the things that make you feel prosperous. Do you even know what makes you feel prosperous? Maybe that's a good place to start.<br /><br />Here's a few resources for you deserving and powerful business women:<br /><br /><a href="http://aimforabundance.com/2008/07/multiple-streams-income/">Multiple Streams of Income </a><br /><br />The was written by my friend Melanie on her website: <a href="http://aimforabundance.com/">Aim for Abundance!</a> Please feel free to peruse her site, I have a feeling you'll leave with inspiration.<br /><br /><a href="http://astore.amazon.com/theaccomomm-20/detail/1401918816">Money and the Law of Attraction</a> by Jerry and Esther Hicks (currently on sale- woot!)<br /><br />Subscribe to the <a href="http://www.everythingloa.com/everythingloaezine.htm">Everything LOA E-zine</a> for tips in your email box.<br /><br />A great video on "flowing downstream with money" <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTMx3LFCuPE">here</a>.<br /><br />You can also join the discussions on money manifestation at <a href="http://www.wisewaysofwomen.com/">The Wise Ways of Women</a>.<br /><br />Keep your vibe prosperous, and remember, your focus determines your reality!!!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Carly adds: My personal favorite is <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/theaccomomm-20/detail/1416560610">The Power of Positive Thinking</a>, as it's more Bible-based, which is my faith preference. :-) When I started listening to the <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/theaccomomm-20/detail/0743507800">book on CD</a> on my way to client appointments my sales skyrocketed! Believe it and receive it!<br /></span>*Dani*http://www.blogger.com/profile/10031042892865700673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4463303757471052717.post-11474072789076738782009-01-05T14:09:00.001-08:002009-01-05T16:14:34.343-08:00What's Your Style Statement?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZsguHKlXNRE/SWKLsTD2m8I/AAAAAAAAAjc/5BCbqSTQ8as/s1600-h/Style+Statement.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 168px; height: 210px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZsguHKlXNRE/SWKLsTD2m8I/AAAAAAAAAjc/5BCbqSTQ8as/s320/Style+Statement.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287942505633323970" border="0" /></a><br />Meet a workbook designed to shake you out of the things you've settled on (career, fashion, friends, home, etc.) and help you focus your intentions on what is truly right for your unique life. Is there any more powerful choice than to be authentic in every move you make?<br /><br />You know the choices that you've made that bring you joy? Becoming friends with the right person, ditching a job that didn't fit, finding the dress that was exactly "you", art that grabs you by the eyelashes and won't let go? Take the time to discover your Style Statement and you'll find yourself making a lot more of those perfect choices. In <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/theaccomomm-20/detail/0316067164">Style Statement: Live By Your Own Design</a>, you can take a profoundly fun journey to find the two words that represent who you are!<br /><br />At first blush, it may sound over simplistic, self-absorbed, pretentious... but keep an open mind. I've started applying it to my life and already it's helping me to not only make wiser buying decisions but also to understand why I love what I do. There's also the added bonus of finding a newfound appreciation for yourself and what makes you tick.<br /><br />Journeying through the many thought-provoking questionnaires and examples of others who've found their Style Statement, I found myself surprised by my own answers. I must have forgotten how much I yearn to travel, love sharing information, and want to wear dresses. (Dresses? Me? Really?).<br /><br />The more true to your desires you are, the better able you are to fully love your life and make empowered choices. This is so incredibly important both for your business life (Seriously, why spend the majority of your waking hours doing something you don't find fulfilling? No excuses!) and for your personal life. It's important to be the fully realized version of yourself, especially if you have sweet impressionable children learning from your every move.<br /><br />The book also has a "Lifestyle Map" which can be very helpful in keeping your goals balanced when putting together a visualization board/ Treasure Map. (We'll be discussing Treasure Maps in March).<br /><br />I highly recommend working through the Statement slowly and mindfully. Relax and let it come naturally for the best result. Also, don't worry about what others think about your style statement. It only has to please you.<br /><br />I enjoyed this book so much I gave it to all my girls for Christmas. Now we'd like to gift you with your own copy! We'll be randomly drawing one follower on January 15th. If you'd like to be included in the drawing please join our followers. We'll be doing a different giveaway each month!<br /><br /><a href="http://astore.amazon.com/theaccomomm-20/detail/0316067164">Also available for purchase in our Amazon store.</a><br /><br />(If you're curious, my style statement is Designed Celebration, and Dani's is Magical Visionary.)Carly Fayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525528757325109350noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4463303757471052717.post-68331107716005088552008-12-10T16:21:00.000-08:002008-12-31T10:40:27.664-08:00Holiday Hiatus!Hello brilliant ladies! Just a quick hello to let you all know we have not forgotten you, but are taking a short break for the Holidays. Beginning in January, we will have our first book give away!!! The first book will be Style Statement by Carrie and Danielle. Carly will be doing a book report at the first of the month so that you all know just how fabulous it is. Please stay posted for our very first give away, as well as more fantastic business and parenting ideas to come!!! We'll be back shortly-<br /><br />Here's to a rockin Christmas and a prosperous New Year!!!!!<br /><br /><strong>Edited To Add: If you would like to take part in our first free book give-a-way, please sign up as a follower. We will be drawing our winner from that group. Good luck!</strong>*Dani*http://www.blogger.com/profile/10031042892865700673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4463303757471052717.post-37993367710876439542008-11-25T16:41:00.000-08:002008-11-25T17:01:19.909-08:00Mission StatementWe've been posting a couple of months now, but haven't had a chance to post our mission statement. We both feel it's truly important that you all know the passion that we have for what we do and for what you do. <br /><br /><strong>The Accomplished Mommy Mission Statement</strong><br /><br />We are here to assist fellow mothers and women in following their life's path and destiny. In a world where mothers have less of a choice between working their lives away at a job they don't enjoy or keeping the focus on raising amazing people, we want to show you there's a third choice; Putting your brilliant ideas to work for you, raking in the prosperity, AND raising amazing people. The first step is defining your passion. It can be as specific as you want it to be. Maybe you just want to be a business owner, but you don't know of what sort of company. Perhaps you want to be a freelance make up artist. Perhaps you want to write novels. The second step is faith. Believe that you have a path in this lifetime that involves you prospering (whatever that means to you), as well as being blissful in what you do. I don't believe we were meant to suffer day in and day out doing something we don't enjoy for money. It's not a fair exchange of energy. Third is execution. We want to help you find ideas to make your dreams a reality. If it's your true path, I believe it will work out, with a little faith and execution. <br /><br />We promise to stick on the topic of helping you and your children flourish. We want to hear your ideas and feedback, as we're learning too. If you want more information on a specific topic, please don't hesitate to contact us at TheAccomplishedMommy@hotmail.com. <br /><br />Here's to your success, and happiness!*Dani*http://www.blogger.com/profile/10031042892865700673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4463303757471052717.post-36806680397003310772008-11-14T15:48:00.000-08:002008-12-02T23:50:01.180-08:00Marketing Tips Part 2Keep in mind that the more people see your logo and company name, the more familiar and trustworthy your business will seem. So get visible!<br /><br />The general guideline is that 3% of the business' gross income should be applied toward marketing. Try out different methods and adjust as you go along.<br /><br />Logos are key to creating a memorable business personality. I used thelogocompany.com and I'm very happy with them. It's only $199 for a logo design, and upgrades are available. I recommend them highly.<br /><br />They say old clients are the best new clients. Keep in contact with your old clients. Send a thank you note after meeting for the first time, another after completing your transaction, and after receiving referrals or positive reviews online/ letters of recommendation. Send Christmas cards, birthday cards, anniversary of the service ("your new kitchen is a year old!")... Give good clients a gift after completion, such as logo imprinted items (tee shirt, water bottle, etc.), gift cards, anything that seems appropriate. My maternity photographer included two photo magnets with our print order, which not only seems warm and fuzzy of her, but of course I'm going to use it because it's a photo I love. She has her web address tastefully printed on it. Everyone who sees my fridge sees a great photo and her contact info. She essentially put up an ad in my house and I love it! Sweet but sneaky.<br /><br />Offer customers referral discounts or gifts. Offering an incentive gets people motivated to spread your name (and if it's a gift certificate for your business, even better! Odds are they'll spend over the certificate amount).<br /><br />Compile a beautiful, professional portfolio, whether you're selling design services or homemade soap! One great way is to scan in any letters of recommendation (ASK EVERYONE FOR THESE!!!) and pair them with photos of your work (you are taking lots of photos, right?) in a printed photobook from one of the many online photo printing services. Keep the design simple and polished.<br /><br />Donating your services (or even just time and money in your business' name) can sometimes get you a mention in the paper if you're donating it to a real need. Silent auctions are also good to watch for. The full value of your goods or services are tax deductible, people will see your name, and you have very good odds of upselling. I won a photography session at a La Leche silent auction, which included the sitting fee and a $50 print credit. I got it for $20 and I was thrilled, but the photographer is really who won. He was exposed to his target market (young families - oh the little ones grow so fast we need a million pictures!), he got free advertising, he gets a tax deduction, he gets a new client who wouldn't have heard of him otherwise (who could be recurring), and he'll get a sale (as expensive as prints are, I'm sure we'll spend over that $50 credit). Donations are great for everyone involved!<br /><br />Sending out press releases is something that's often recommended, but honestly, I don't know how to do that! I'm determined to figure it out, and I'll let you guys know! If you know how, we'd love a comment with some info.<br /><br />Sponsoring a Little League team in an area you'd like to do business is fairly inexpensive ($150-$300) and something we'll be trying out this next season. I'll keep you posted on the outcome.<br /><br />Advertising in large papers is usually expensive and not worthwhile, but small local papers are a cheap way to spread your name. A one by one ad in our town's weekly paper is $72 a month. I placed the ad a month ago and haven't seen any leads from it, but I think I'll keep it just for the visibility. The more the prospective client sees your logo, there more they subconsciously "know" and trust you.<br /><br />Car decals/ magnets. <a href="http://www.vistaprint.com/vp/welcomeback.aspx?xnav=welcome">Vistaprint</a> has really low prices on these! Again, visibility.<br /><br />Get yourself a nice logo jacket and wear it EVERYWHERE! This raises your visibility and people will notice it and ask you about it. Even if you only get one lead from this (you'll get much more, though) your return on investment is huge. Keep your business cards handy when wearing your logowear!<br /><br />If you have employees, consider uniforms or at least logo shirts. A professional appearance helps your credibility.<br /><br />Pens - the higher the quality the longer they'll be kept. My escrow company gave me a nice pen and it's been in my purse for a year and a half, and I won't forget their name anytime soon because of that fact. Buy a huge quantity and "accidentally" leave them everywhere you go. Leave a few with every client or customer you meet. Sign your receipt at the store, leave one behind. Leave one (or two) with the bill at restaurants. I worked at a steakhouse for a bit and the servers were constantly complaining that customers swiped their pens. The server will appreciate a new pen being left behind, lots of people will see it, and odds are eventually someone will steal it and then your company name will circulate around a new group. A stylish pen design will make even more of an impression. Just be ready to say, "Oh, keep it!" when someone invariably says, "You forgot your pen!".<br /><br />Networking: I'll discuss further in another post, but those who attend marketing groups are typically a good demographic to be friendly with. They're business owners or salespeople, they know lots of people, and they probably have money!<br /><br />Contact papers, magazines, and websites about writing a column in your area of expertise. A personal organizer I know writes about organization in the Seattle P-I and <a href="http://www.divinecaroline.com/">DivineCaroline.com</a> (easy place to start writing articles - just create a free account and click My Account, My Articles, Begin Writing An Article) and this gives her a ton of "street cred", if you will. (Her name is <a href="http://www.eliminatechaos.com/">Laura Leist</a> and she owns the largest personal organization company in the state and was voted one of Washington's 40 Under 40 Entrepreneurs. She's remarkable.).<br /><br />Imagine your ideal customer. Now walk around in their shoes. Where do they hang out, what do they read, what will catch their eye? We just placed ads at golf courses because 95% of golfers are homeowners. Then there's the trusty list notepad with magnet backing. We all love those notepads, don't we? So they get used, which means the recipient of that notepad sees your name on an almost daily basis. Understanding their point of view is essential to the success of your marketing.<br /><br />The most important thing is to be creative. Some of the tried and true things work, but do what no one else thought of and you set yourself apart.<br /><br />Finally, ask every single person who contacts you how they heard about you and keep a spreadsheet of this info. The trends will start to emerge and it will be clear where your marketing dollars are working and what to rethink.<br /><br />More marketing tips to come!Carly Fayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525528757325109350noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4463303757471052717.post-46852763846363904842008-11-14T12:50:00.000-08:002008-11-14T13:36:39.235-08:00The Importance of Setting GoalsIt's become quite obvious to someone of my sort, that if you don't set goals you'll never get anything done. When I say my sort, I mean Carly's sort also- maybe even your sort! You know us, the kind that has five trillion great ideas but no execution. I wonder if any of you noticed we haven't posted in about...oh two weeks or so? <br /><br />This is where goals come in. Write them down somewhere you will see them (please note the much earlier post about my yahoo). If you give yourself due dates for the things you'd like to complete (and tell other people that will help hold you to it!), you might complete one of those five trillion amazing ideas! Maybe one of them is your million dollar idea... you never know. <br /><br />Look! You could be this guy!<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XqnSFrtK33U/SR3peFs7lfI/AAAAAAAAAbY/QR7HAonfwLc/s1600-h/goals.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 268px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XqnSFrtK33U/SR3peFs7lfI/AAAAAAAAAbY/QR7HAonfwLc/s320/goals.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268623842229327346" /></a><br /><br />Ahahaha. But really. If you find this hard to do, start small. Start making daily to do lists. Stick to them. When I'm feeling like I'm not accomplishing much, I write down something I've already done and cross it off! (Can we say denial?) Move on to setting goals for particular projects. For example, let's say you're a writer. Set a date that you want to be finished with chapter one. You can then set the next date, or you can schedule it out for the entire book. Join an online forum of writers (or whatever it is that you do- start a yahoo group if nothing exists), and share the same due dates with a buddy or a team. Hold yourself accountable. <br /><br />As far as your long term goals (once you feel brave), you need to take some time and write out a 5-10 year plan. Lucky for you, Carly has grandtastic fantastic google-ing and/or web perusing skills and do we have a treat for you!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.workingwithpower.com/reports/2008GoalsWorkbook.pdf">Working With Your Power</a><br /><br /><br />This is from last year (we've had it stashed back awhile), so add in the appropriate dates of course. <br /><br />Fill this out, share it with your close confidants as well as your husband/partner! You need to make sure they're either on board with your plans or that you can find a way to convince them (if you need convincing techniques, feel free to post in comments. Carly and myself are both Geminis and I promise we know how to talk anybody into anything). <br /><br />And for inspiration: <br /><br /><a href="http://www.forbes.com/2008/04/13/billionaires-rowling-winfrey-biz-billies-cz_dp_0415billiewomen.html">Billionaire Women</a><br /><br />(And Carly- they talk about women in there that took over a construction business and are billionaires! Just sayin ladies, if you think your trade wont make you a billionaire, you haven't thought about it hard enough ;) <br /><br />Happy Business Building!*Dani*http://www.blogger.com/profile/10031042892865700673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4463303757471052717.post-21488008644150473112008-10-24T15:30:00.000-07:002008-10-24T15:43:29.887-07:00Multi-TimerI just ran across this handy tool on <a href="http://lifehacker.com/">LifeHacker's</a> blog. Read all about it here: <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5067667/multi+timer-counts-down-to-more-than-one-event">http://lifehacker.com/5067667/multi+timer-counts-down-to-more-than-one-event</a><br /><br />Basically, it's a timer on your desktop that can time up to 16 tasks at once, which is handy if you use the timer method of time management or just have things to remember.<br /><br />Download it here:<a href="http://www.softpedia.com/get/Desktop-Enhancements/Clocks-Time-Management/Wallroth-Multi-Timer.shtml"> http://www.softpedia.com/get/Desktop-Enhancements/Clocks-Time-Management/Wallroth-Multi-Timer.shtml</a>Carly Fayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525528757325109350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4463303757471052717.post-9611354240010086022008-10-24T07:43:00.000-07:002008-11-15T12:26:27.493-08:00Registering Your Business with Washington State<span style="font-style: italic;">(I apologize for the rushed tone of this post. Today is a busy day for me!)</span><br /><br />In Washington, these are the basic steps to registering your business:<br /><br /><a href="https://fortress.wa.gov/dol/mls/">Master Business License</a>: Quick, easy to do online, application costs $15 plus $5 per trade name. Be sure to select the right <a href="http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=98359,00.html">business structure</a>. Sole <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">proprietorships</span> are a good place to start for one person or a married couple, but you may consider becoming an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">LLC</span> later, which has its pros and cons. We'll discuss that in another post.<br /><br />The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">MBL</span> will automatically register you with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">DOR</span>, to whom you'll be sending the sales tax you collect. Filing the returns is simple once you've figured it out the first time, especially if you take one of the <a href="https://fortress.wa.gov/dor/efile/secureforms/content/WorkshopsAndEducation/AttendAWorkshop/NBOWorkshops.aspx">free seminars</a> they offer. There are also <a href="http://dor.wa.gov/content/workshopsandeducation/videoworkshopsandtutorials/">online tutorials</a>, and they also offer to <a href="http://dor.wa.gov/content/workshopsandeducation/request/">come to you</a> and help you check that you're doing it right.<br /><br />If you're an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">LLC</span>, corporation, or non profit you'll need to register your trade name with the <a href="http://www.secstate.wa.gov/corps/registration_forms.aspx">Secretary of State</a>.<br /><br />Register with the IRS and get your <a href="http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=102767,00.html">Employer Identification Number</a>. Helpful guide <a href="http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/index.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Register with the city you'll do business in.<br /><br />If you have employees, register with <a href="http://www.lni.wa.gov/ipub/101-002-000.pdf">Labor and Industries</a>. Get your specialty license with <a href="http://www.lni.wa.gov/TradesLicensing/LicensingReq/LicensesRegistration/default.asp">Labor and Industries</a>, if required for your industry.<br /><br />Find the requirements for specific business activities <a href="https://fortress.wa.gov/dol/mls/wali/activity.asp">here</a>.<br /><br />Don't hesitate to call the agencies with questions. They're always helpful and friendly, and it's better to take the time to ask than to get nasty fines for noncompliance!Carly Fayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525528757325109350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4463303757471052717.post-81341705184688719172008-10-23T15:09:00.000-07:002008-10-23T15:39:42.634-07:00Marketing Tips Part 1The key to having a successful business is Marketing Marketing Marketing! With starting up a business, the money you invest in marketing may be less then you'd like, but you can still make it work! I came across some information indicating that the best way to keep your marketing rolling, is to occassionally splurge on those things that are more costly, and in between to do the less costly marketing tricks.<br /><br />First tip- Always leave a business card. Always. Give them to your friends to give away, give them to your family members, leave them on cork boards (and another idea that Carly mentioned to me for those left on cork boards, is to get business cards made in post card size!!! Draws the eye right to them!) Put them in all outgoing mail. Leave them with the tip at a restaurant (assuming you didn't tick off the waiter for any reason). Leave them with past clients. A new idea I've just had- offer clients a rebate for passing along business cards to those who buy from you. A referral fee. Get it printed on that back of your business card. Or even offer a discount/coupon on your the back of your business card.<br /><br />Example:<br /><br />Redeem this business card before (enter date here) and receive a 15% off of your services/goods!<br /><br /><br />Second Tip- ALWAYS HAVE A WEBSITE! For the love of Pete, if you don't have a website, get one. It doesn't have to be elaborate, but it does have to be out there for people to find. Everyone and their monkey uses the internet to find businesses anymore, and if you're not available, you're missing out on a whole lotta business! You can do this for a relatively low cost. Microsoft Office Live offers free web hosting and they charge $15 a year for the domain name. Your first year is free. There are many other web hosts out there to assist you in building your website. Be sure to add Meta Tags to your site, and to add it to search engines (see the post below). Send it to everyone you know, link it anywhere you can. <br /><br /><br />Third Tip- Buy Leads. This wont be applicable to all businesses, but there are some that it will. <a href="http://www.servicemagic.com/">Service Magic</a> offers lead buying for many businesses that offer home improvement services (this is near and dear to our hearts since I run Peterson Tree Services and Carly runs Hayden Transformations). The company charges a set up fee (I believe service magic is $100), and then you buy leads from them. You can buy as much or as little as you'd like and you can set a budget. The leads vary in price (Tree Service leads for instance run around $10 each, while contracting leads run higher). The leads you receive are customers that are ready to buy what you have to offer. Check to see if there's a lead buying service for your business!<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XqnSFrtK33U/SQD8-HW_txI/AAAAAAAAASw/EMvD9Sp5XUE/s1600-h/tree+success.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 118px; height: 118px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XqnSFrtK33U/SQD8-HW_txI/AAAAAAAAASw/EMvD9Sp5XUE/s320/tree+success.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260482508826326802" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Please post your marketing tips in our comments box!*Dani*http://www.blogger.com/profile/10031042892865700673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4463303757471052717.post-74631255606459726712008-10-18T15:52:00.000-07:002008-10-18T16:09:58.459-07:00Can Search Engines Find Your Website?If you haven't indexed your sites with the major search engines (or even know what the hell I'm talking about- ha!), your site may not be getting as many hits as it could be! To index your sites, follow these simple steps:<br /><br />Go to each of the links below:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.google.com/addurl/">http://www.google.com/addurl/</a><br /><br /><a href="http://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com/submit">http://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com/submit</a><br /><a href=" http://search.msn.com/docs/submit.aspx"><br />http://search.msn.com/docs/submit.aspx</a><br /><a href="http://addurl.altavista.com/"><br />http://addurl.altavista.com/</a><br /><br />You then enter your site and sometimes a captcha (??? I may have spelled that wrong but you know what I mean- those annoying mixed up words with lines and blurriness that you can hardly read, much less solve and move on with your life. Those things.)<br /><br />Voila! It takes until they crawl the web next to be added, but you'll be receiving more hits in no time!*Dani*http://www.blogger.com/profile/10031042892865700673noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4463303757471052717.post-13511249281147523592008-10-17T11:34:00.000-07:002008-10-17T15:35:46.531-07:00Using Time Wisely<span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Whether you telecommute to an employer, are an entrepreness, or just make a little cash on the side selling knitted hats on Etsy, time management is the ultimate tool. It can make you or break you (or drive you insane!).<br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Some days you get to the end and go, “What happened?!” Or your husband asks the most irritating question you can ask a WAHM, “What did you do all day?” “I survived, alright!?!”</span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZsguHKlXNRE/SPjeSNc9XhI/AAAAAAAAAZI/QUKYIDUTYwA/s1600-h/frazzled+mom.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 139px; height: 244px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZsguHKlXNRE/SPjeSNc9XhI/AAAAAAAAAZI/QUKYIDUTYwA/s320/frazzled+mom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258196969385188882" border="0" /></a></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Other days you get to the end and say, “I took you DOWN, to-do list! Take that! I own you!!! Boo-yah!!!” (What, boo-yah isn't part of your vernacular? Maybe it should be, because you kick serious ass!).</span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZsguHKlXNRE/SPjeRll42mI/AAAAAAAAAY4/zED_1B6fhlg/s1600-h/fighter.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 174px; height: 253px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZsguHKlXNRE/SPjeRll42mI/AAAAAAAAAY4/zED_1B6fhlg/s320/fighter.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258196958685223522" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;">Working from home while enjoying your children and managing all the aspects of your life and home can feel impossible sometimes. Things can get out of control really easily. By staying focused, you can get what you want from your day!<br /></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Setting an alarm, getting up at the same reasonable time each day, and directly showering and dressing as though you were going to a regular job is essential. I’m sure you’ve heard this advice before, but it is the cornerstone of taking control of your day. You ARE going to work, so act like it. Just because you do your work while breastfeeding or in between loads of laundry doesn’t make it any less of a priority.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Write out a daily schedule for yourself (and your children – structure makes them feel secure). Leave room for organized chaos and spontaneity, but give yourself plenty of time to take care of business. Include a real lunch break to hang with your kids and rest your "business brain".<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Involve your kids when you can. They’re curious about what you’re doing and want to be with you. My daughter is still tiny, but while she nurses I catch up on my business reading by reading it out loud to her. Maybe she doesn’t need to know about trends in kitchen cabinets or the right insurance plans for small businesses, but she likes to hear my voice and be part of what I’m doing. I have a tiny extra desk in my office which I’ll set up with art supplies and a play laptop when she’s bigger. She can be my “coworker”.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">I’m not delusional enough to expect her to sit there for long periods, but it will buy a little time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Set timers. This is especially helpful for distractable types (ahem, me), or when first learning how to manage a work at home atmosphere. Say you expect that responding to business emails will take 30 minutes of focused work. Set a timer, and remembering you're on the clock will help you stay on task. Timers are even more helpful when you're choosing to take a little "playtime" or when telling children what to expect. "Mommy will help you find Barbie's shoes as soon as the timer goes off." "Okay, Mommy's taking a break until the timer buzzes!"<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZsguHKlXNRE/SPjeRll42mI/AAAAAAAAAY4/zED_1B6fhlg/s1600-h/fighter.gif"></a></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Keep a Must Do and Want To Do List. Even numbering them by priority can help in focusing your efforts. Write it at night so first thing in the morning you can get straight to it. Include time estimates for each task (and note how long it actually took so you can have a better estimate next time). Be realistic in your expectations of yourself. Yes, you are Wonder Woman, but that doesn’t mean you need to wear yourself out and leave no time for fun!</span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZsguHKlXNRE/SPjeR_OnKbI/AAAAAAAAAZA/pXqF4FcN8_c/s1600-h/bonobo_wonder20woman.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 289px; height: 203px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZsguHKlXNRE/SPjeR_OnKbI/AAAAAAAAAZA/pXqF4FcN8_c/s320/bonobo_wonder20woman.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258196965566917042" border="0" /></a></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Beware of Time Vampires! Surfing the net, chatting on the phone, meeting friends for lunch, obsessively checking your MySpace, clicking around Etsy glorious Etsy, getting sidetracked by unimportant projects… It all seems harmless bit by bit, but things like this can swallow your whole day if you’re not careful (social upkeep is very important to your sanity, though, and we’ll discuss that in an upcoming post). Keep focused and remember your purpose. If you attack your work right away and kill your to-do list, then you’ll have time to go play with your kids or lunch with a friend.<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Set “office hours”. When the "office" is closed, don't answer the phone, don't check emails. Your business is very important, but your children are what really matters in life. Give them your undivided attention for a set time every day.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">The best system I've seen is the <a href="http://www.entrepreneurship.org/Resources/Detail/Default.aspx?id=10922">Entrepreneurial Time System</a>. Basically, you select Free Days to do as you please; then Focus Days, which are days where you really put on your work boots and kick some serious booty! Then you choose your Buffer Days, where you take care of the little tasks that would distract you on Focus Days (cleaning, making phone calls, etc.).<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Be ready to spot stagnation. If your brain starts to get fuzzy and you're sitting there going "think...think...work...come on brain", step away for a short time (this is a break, not giving up! Come right back!). Crank up the music and dance around the living room with the kids, take a walk, take a yoga break, whatever gets your blood pumping and your brain creating. Then tackle your tasks with new enthusiasm!<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Those of us who are fortunate (or badassly talented and driven) enough to work from home should count our blessings every day. It is such a privilege to spend your days with your children and be a career woman at the same time!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Want more time management tips? Here are great articles from <a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/entrepreneurextra/fiveminuteswith/article33768.html">Entrepreneur.com</a>, <a href="http://www.smallbusinessessentials.info/2007/12/05/entrepreneurial-time-management-and-discipline/">smallbusinessessentials.info</a>, and <a href="http://carrieanddanielle.com/sacred-time-management-gettings-things-done-with-structured-flow/">carrieanddanielle.com</a>.<br /></span></p>Carly Fayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01525528757325109350noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4463303757471052717.post-31471066004109143402008-10-16T09:46:00.000-07:002008-10-16T10:31:27.905-07:00Wrangling Small Children- Things You May Not Have Thought OfSometimes with small mobile children, it seems like you'll never be able to catch them long enough and keep them in one spot to get anything done. I know I sometimes have my days where I feel like just keeping Eli (my spirited 2 1/2 year old) safe and happy could take a tribe of adults! With a little bit of planning ahead and a few good ideas in your back pocket, your day can flow much more smoothly. I spoke with a couple groups of wise women that have been there and done that, and got some great tips I'd love to share. <br /><br /><strong>Tip 1: Always Give a Choice</strong><br /><br />Rather then saying, "Eli...What would you like to drink?" Say instead, "Eli...Would you like juice, or milk?" <br /><br />You're then allowing your child to make decisions for themself without overwhelming them with too much information. They feel like they're taking an active role in what happens in their life. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Tip 2: Use Distractions!</strong><br /><br />If it's time to leave somewhere or time to stop doing something and your toddler isn't compliant, use distraction. Here's a great example from a mom I spoke with:<br /><br /><blockquote>Whenever I have to leave somewhere with *my son (like the park or somewhere else fun), I always say, "Let's go see if we can find a fire truck (or a bus)..." and I'm not lying because we live in a city, so we will definitely see a bus and sometimes even a fire truck *My son is obsessed with the moon, so if we are at a friend's house and it's getting dark when we have to leave, I'll say, "Let's go chase the moon with our car!" and *my son loves it.</blockquote><br /><br />Another mommy had this great tip for diaper changes and distraction:<br /><br /><br /><blockquote>I have been wrestling my 14 month old *son through diaper changes for about 2 months now. I found that I could distract him with a "forbidden" toy long enough to change his diaper before he did the flip. After running out of relatively safe forbidden toys in the general area of the changing table I was at a loss! So I made a little basket of random things that he otherwise wouldn't play with and put it next to the table. In the basket I have: a hot pink elastic hair band, one of his old baby shoes that doesn't fit, some blocks, the cover to his thermometer, and his absolute favorite - a box of sterile pads. Once we are done diapering I usually say something about leaving the "toy" there for next time and I usually don't get too much of an argument. If I notice something throughout the day that is not really a toy but he has become attached to I put it in the box for next time. Works like a charm! </blockquote><br /><br />And here's a great idea for teeth brushing (I need to try this one!):<br /><br /><blockquote>When they don't want to brush their teeth, pretend there is a green polka-dotted elephant in their mouth that you MUST find. I got this idea from another *mama and it has worked WONDERS. </blockquote><br /><br /><strong>Tip 3: Prevention, Prevention, Prevention!</strong><br /><br />I received this feedback from many mamas! Prevention and distraction almost go hand and hand. If you know your toddler isn't in love with a certain activity (diaper changes, bath time, getting dressed, going to the store, etc etc etc), have a plan of action beforehand! If you go into said activity empty handed, you'll have a mess on your hands almost everytime. This makes for an angry/upset mama and toddler.<br /><br />Here's my example of prevention:<br /><br />My son RUNS. That wouldn't be as much of an issue if he was my only child, but I also have an 8 month old. When I go grocery shopping (which I do often, I'm one of those weirdos that only buys food for a couple of days at a shot or else all my veggies go bad- I suppose that's a whole 'nother story), I MUST park next to a cart return. If I'm near a cart return, that allows me to immediately grab a cart to put Eli in before I even take him out of the car (I don't know if you've ever tried to pick up a toddler that's trying to run out into the street while you have a baby in a sling, but it's not so nice to the back). Eli goes straight into the cart, Asher (the little guy) goes into the sling, everyone is safe and strapped in where I can get to them, and no one runs in front of a car. Not only that, but when you come back to put your groceries in the car, you can easily return your cart without abadoning the children. <br /><br />As for putting two small children to sleep (I know that's pretty specific), I still struggle and I'd love to get any tips you have in our comments box! I always try to put the littlest one to bed first, then cue the toddler a. jumping on the bed, b. screaming in his brother's face, c. wanting to "snuggle" with his brother (which is sweet, but he snuggles ON TOP of you practically, which doesn't help to keep a baby asleep long). <br /><br />I was given the tip that I should put the toddler to bed first (the baby can't jump on the bed yet!) I'm going to try that out and I'll report back at a later date...<br /><br /><br /><strong>Tip 4: Offer Them Something Fun To Do!</strong><br /><br />If you have something important to do (take care of the baby, deal with wahm business, cook, clean, etc etc), give your toddler something fun to do in the meantime! (This also falls under distraction and prevention!)<br /><br />If you're cooking, give your child something in the kitchen to play with! Eli panics when I gate him out of the kitchen and I'm in there, so I'll be utilizing this tip soon:<br /><br /><blockquote>Flour and beans are a tots best friend. A layer of flour in the bottom of a pan along with some small cars/trains/wood animals can entertain one toddler for hours. Three bowls of different sizes, some spoons or scoops and some dried beans will give you enough time to clean the kitchen, cook supper, clean up after cooking and then some. </blockquote><br /><br /><br /><br />Please- If you have any tips you'd like to share, feel free to post them in the comments!<br /><br /><br />Good luck to all you fabulous mamas- I'm sure you need it as much as we do!<br /><br /><br />(* = quote has been changed slightly to make sense to those of you who may not speak the lingo.)*Dani*http://www.blogger.com/profile/10031042892865700673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4463303757471052717.post-84536795869624908212008-10-15T13:24:00.001-07:002008-10-15T13:55:27.327-07:00Getting Organized Tip for October!Life flows much more smoothly when we're organized. Unfortunately for me, that's not my strongest suit. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, right? I've noticed my children are a happier crew when I have a plan and I stick to my plan. My getting organized tip for October is sign up for <a href="http://my.yahoo.com/">My Yahoo!</a> (No, I don't work for them.) I have fallen in love with my Yahoo. You can customize the look to suit your style. I've added a calendar and a notepad to help with my organization. It's my home page, so every time I open up my internet (which I do often...), there's another reminder of what I need to get done. I've tried using the calendar in my cell phone and keeping a day book with no success. I forget to look at it! Not this time friends- I promise I wont forget to get on the internet, and I have a feeling you wont either. ;)<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XqnSFrtK33U/SPZYiR1PzgI/AAAAAAAAAO4/R_x__7Ga4wE/s1600-h/clip_image002.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XqnSFrtK33U/SPZYiR1PzgI/AAAAAAAAAO4/R_x__7Ga4wE/s400/clip_image002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257486960927165954" /></a>*Dani*http://www.blogger.com/profile/10031042892865700673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4463303757471052717.post-33261011675778312422008-10-15T11:24:00.000-07:002008-10-15T12:27:11.800-07:00Welcome!Welcome to our new blog- The Accomplished Mommy! We're happy to have you here with us. Please feel free to add yourself to our followers off to the right. This blog is for moms of all sorts. We all work hard to be successful in our lives, and at the same time make sure that our children are flourishing and prospering. My name is Danielle, and I am a new work at home mom. I have a beautiful 2 1/2 year old and 8 month old. I run a doula business (www.holistic-doula.com) that I'm planning to grow into a photography and childbirth education business as well in the immediate future. <br /><br />Here are the reasons I strive to succeed:<br /><br /><a href="http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n1/youmakelovinfun/P1020914.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px;" src="http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n1/youmakelovinfun/P1020914.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n1/youmakelovinfun/P1040089.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px;" src="http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n1/youmakelovinfun/P1040089.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />The Co-Author of this blog happens to be my best friend and very successful business woman/ wahm Carly. Her and her husband own Hayden Transformations, a general contracting business. She does all of the office work, lead development, payroll for employees, and the Universe knows what else! I know she's a busy bee and she's good at what she does. This is in conjunction with taking care of her very sweet baby girl (born last June- and yes, I was her doula ;)<br /><br />Carly's reason for striving to succeed:<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XqnSFrtK33U/SPZC0MEXfxI/AAAAAAAAAOo/h5aoAFtY2Uw/s1600-h/natalie2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XqnSFrtK33U/SPZC0MEXfxI/AAAAAAAAAOo/h5aoAFtY2Uw/s200/natalie2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257463079361806098" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />So we welcome you, mama's from all walks of life. Join us, follow us, read us. Hopefully you can find a few tips and tricks along the way to help you get organized and be more successful every day! <br /><br />If you have any questions or suggestions you'd like answered, please feel free to shoot us an email at TheAccomplishedMommy@hotmail.com*Dani*http://www.blogger.com/profile/10031042892865700673noreply@blogger.com1